Discovery
by BMShipper
Summary: Grace discovers something she shouldn't have, which leads Jefferson do realize something he wouldn't have without her...


**A/N:** Yes, I did it again, and NO, this time it's NO Smut... XD I'm glad at least some of you seem to like what I'm doing here and I'm really happy you're enjoying my fanfics about Jefferson & Dr. Whale, and hey... as long as not "proven otherwise", in my head they have a nice little affair XD Having fun together and such... because those boys just really need some fun XD

**Discovery**

„Does Dr. Whale hate me?" Grace asked into the silence, looking at her father with her big brown eyes.

Jefferson and his daughter were just in the middle of having breakfast on a – as Jefferson thought – normal day. The question hit him out of the blue and he looked at the girl, tilting his head.

„Why do you think that?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Grace shrugged. „Because he always leaves the house right before I get up."

Choking on his coffee and spitting some of it on the table, Jefferson stared at his daughter in shock. He had assumed his daughter didn't know about his little affair with Victor – who was actually still Dr. Whale for most people in town, because they didn't know his true identity – but obviously he had been wrong. Obviously she had witnessed something she shouldn't have. Of course there was no way she would know what kind of relationship Victor and Jefferson had – she was way too young for this – but she knew he was visiting Jefferson, which was bad enough.

„I... Grace, this... this has nothing to do with you..." Jefferson stammered, completely lost for words.

He hadn't expected his daughter to ever find out about Victor and him since he didn't even know what they were. It wasn't like they were in love or something like that, but as a matter of fact: he really enjoyed the time he and Victor spent together. He liked sleeping with him, kissing him, touching him and of course the other way around.

„Then what is it?" Grace asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. „You're not sick, are you, daddy?" Now there was a look of concern in her eyes.

Immediately, Jefferson reached out and grabbed her hand.

„No, Sweetie! It's nothing like that. Dr. Whale and I..." he started, and again he had no idea what to say or how to explain to a ten year old that her father was having some kind of relationship with another man.

Grace's mother had died when she was a baby and since then there hadn't been anyone else in his life. It had always been just him and Grace. Grace had become his whole world and he didn't regret it for a second.

When the curse happend and he had to live without her, he had become really lonely, and the moment the curse was broken and he had been able to go out again, he had reconnected with Whale. Or Frankenstein. Mostly, he called him Victor.

He had reconnected with him of all people, because he was one of the very few people he knew in Storybrooke, and because the two of them had a long history. A history that went back to way before Grace was born.

Victor had been more than surprised to see him when Jefferson had entered "Granny's" one day and the two had shared a drink. Which led to more drinks. Which led Jefferson to take Victor home with him to get even more drunk, until he had admitted to him how lonely he felt. And Victor had felt almost the same, because no matter how hard he had tried, most people in Storybrooke didn't seem to like him very much. Some of them were even scared of him, even though they had no idea who he really was. If they knew they definitely had a reason to be scared.

„You know, you don't have to hide him from me."

Again, Grace's voice broke through his thoughts.

„What do you mean?" Jefferson asked confused, looking at his daughter.

„Dr. Whale. I know I'm only ten, but I can see that you like him and that the two of you seem to be really close." Grace explained. „You never had a real friend and I'm glad that you obviously have one now. That's a good thing, right?"

A small smile crossed Jefferson's lips.

„Yeah, that's a very good thing."

„Well then..." Grace smiled back, getting up from her chair. „Then he has no reason to sneak out of the house tomorrow morning. You can invite him for breakfast."

„That's very sweet of you, but..." Jefferson started, but Grace cut him off mid-sentence.

„No buts. If you like him so much, I'm sure I'm gonna like him, too."

„I... I don't know if he would want that," Jefferson admitted.

„Why not?" Grace asked, while shouldering her schoolbag.

„I don't know... But I can ask him." Jefferson replied, feeling slightly nervous about the mere thought. Having breakfast with him and his daughter was something big and he didn't know if Victor was ready for that. If he even wanted to be ready.

Maybe this thing between them was just casual sex for him. Until he found something better. Or someone better. Maybe it didn't even mean anything.

It did mean something to Jefferson, though. He hadn't even been aware of his feelings until a couple of minutes ago when Grace brought him up. This wasn't just sex anymore. At least not for him.

„You do that. I'd be happy to meet him," Grace said, leaning forward and hugging her father.

„I'm gonna go to school now, okay?"

„Okay!" Jefferson responded, holding her close for a second or two.

„Thank you, Grace."

„What for?" Grace wanted to know, tilting her head, and when she did it, she looked exactly like her mother, Jefferson had to admit. She actually was a lot like her mother and the older she got, the more she reminded him of her.

„For being the best daughter in the world. I love you, hon!" Jefferson said, watching his daugther moving towards the door.

„I love you too, daddy!"

And with that she was out of the door and Jefferson watched her until he couldn't see her anymore, before closing the door and entering his house again.

He hadn't planned on telling Grace about him and Victor this soon, if even, but maybe her finding out was a good thing after all. Because it made him realize that he, indeed, wanted Victor to be a part of his life. Of his and Grace's life. He needed to face the truth: he had fallen in love with Victor Frankenstein without even noticing it, and if it wasn't for Grace, it most likely would have take a lot more time for him to figure it out.

Yes, he indeed had a very clever daughter.

Now he just needed to find out if Victor maybe felt the same or if this was over before it had even started, but no matter what it was: he would deal with it. The truth was always better than not knowing at all. Who knew, perhaps it was the beginning of something beautiful.

Jefferson was willing to take the risk.


End file.
